Motoring Notes
The 16 h.p. 6-Cyl. Singer Saloon
THIS is a reliable type of family saloon which is very fully equipped and is sold at £280. With the exception of the insur- ance policy, the total outlay, including number plates and licence for a whole year, falls just inside the £300 mark. This Singer is one of a range of four, starting with the better known " Junior 8," then the 10 h.p., the 16 h.p., and lastly another 16, but this time with an entirely different type of engine, of more sporting design and performance.
At a time when, at long last, official notice is being taken of the need of adequate safety devices, it is appropriate to note that all Singer models are fitted with Triplex glass as standard. Furthermore, all the 1931 models have the petrol tank at the rear of the chassis, where in the event of a collision, it is almost completely invulnerable. This means that there is only the minimum quantity of inflammable liquid under the bonnet. Protection is also afforded by stout bumpers.
The saloons are coachbuilt ; have four doors, and a sliding roof which fits flush with the roof proper. I like the general appearance, which is workmanlike and neat. In the front are two sliding bucket seats ; in the rear one seat, with arm-rests at the sides, wide enough to hold three people in comfort. The bucket seats are well shaped and at the right slope to give a good forward view. and control over the car. I think a few inches more headroom would be an advantage in the back ; this should be achieved by altering the chassis, not by raising the roof.
Four of the six windovis 'wind up and down, and small 'ventilation glasses are fitted over these, which allows one to open the windows a few inches" without letting in rain or draught. Bodywork and upholstery is standard in four colours, and-in each case the bright parts are chromium plated. There Are pooketa on each door; but these could well be Unmoved in design and finish. The windscreen is of one piece, and can be opened to a certain extent, giving a good field of vision the:driver can see his left front wing without straining forward in his seat. As the control levers are central the driver can get in easily from the off side. The driving position is comfortable and the controls all to hand. The head and side lamps are all supported more or less by the front wings : I should prefer some indepen- dent mounting for the head lamps ; these dip from a control on' the steering column, and there is a stop light behind.- The electric horn is mounted on the bar, between the head lamps ; it gets filled with mud and water in that position, but this does not.appear to interfere with its efficient working. A luggage grid, windscreen wiper, and mirror are included in the eqinp- ment. All the Singer radiators are of the new type, which is quite imposing with its narrow chromium band. Turning to the chassis : the engine has side-by-side Valves, and cylinder dimensions' of 65 mm. bore and 90 nun. stroke. The crankshaft runs in four bearings, and is fitted with a damper. The aluminium pistons have split skirts and scraper rings ; ignition is by coil and distributor, and the generator and fan are mounted from the top of the detachable cylinder head, with the thermostat close by. The clutch is fully adjustable, single plate, and the gear-box has four forward speeds with central control. Luvac hydraulic shock absorbers are fitted to the spring, which are semi-elliptic, and the four brakes are servo operated. The hand brake has separate controls for th6 two rear brakes. All the brakes are operated by cables, each with wing nut adjustment.
With regard to control and road performance : I found this ear easy to drive, with the controls in the right positions ; I should, however, prefer the accelerator pedal to be on the right of the brake pedal. Gear changing is not difficult, but it requires some little judgment to make a dead silent change up. The gear positions should be marked on the top of the lever— the reverse position, for example, takes some finding if one is not told where to feel for it.
The servo brakes are a little difficult to gauge ; I should like them to be more .progressive, and to have more final " bite " for a sudden pull up.
The springing is good ; so too is the steering, which is self-centring and light. Taking the car over very bad surfaces did not seem to distress it unduly, nor was there any tendency to skid.
I found the engine quiet and well-balanced, but while it will attain and hold a rate of some 55 miles an hour,the accelera- tion leaves much to be desired. Also it is advisable to change down to third for slow work in traffic, as the spark control is not effective enough for very slow running on top gear. The lower gears are reasonably quiet, and the clutch works smoothly.
On the whole I do not consider the car would be tiring to drive on a long run, but the lack of liveliness on top gear must
mean considerable use of the gear.. box .if a reasonably_hii speed is to be maintained.
PELHAM COCHRANE.
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